College success is often measured by a process requiring a gradual increase in responsibility year by year and an acceptance by the student that he has increasing control over his academic success. School assignments are first required by the teacher to train the student to take responsibility. Gaining responsibility during their freshman year accounted for over 33% of the critical events by college students, and "being on my own" appears the most critical (Straub, 1987).

The ultimate goal of this process is for the student to assume responsibility intrinsically. For example, when a student says, "I should have known that," or "It's my job to get my homework in on time", he is identifying responsibility and his need to be in control. Unlike upper classmen, freshman believe that their instructors have more of an influence over their performance than is warranted (Schmelzer & Schmelzer, 1987).

Understanding and meeting responsibilities is an important predictor of success in college. In a study it was found the best predictor of success was the student's perception of the college's expectations of academic performance (Kelly, 1982).

Taking responsibility for one's success must be coupled with taking control. Knowing expectations and taking the necessary control to get them accomplished may be two different things. Those in control of events often find the event motivated them to try harder or to put it another way, involved students like to be in control (Madden, et al, 1987).

Involvement and control seem to go hand in hand. For example, Astin states, "It seems clear that the effectiveness of any attempt to increase student involvement is highly contingent on the student's perceived locus of control" (Astin, 1984).

Further, people who control outcomes have a greater satisfaction with the circumstances of their environment (Langer, 1983). While freshman believe their instructors had more control over their performance; upper classmen learned to rely more on themselves and their peers for success (Schmelzer, et al, 1987).